Ajman’s Gems Light Up Vegas

Ajman’s Gems

PHOTO: SANDEE ANDREWS

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his year at the Arabian Breeders World Cup in Las Vegas, His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi’s bold gamble of shipping horses halfway around the world from his stud in Ajman to compete paid off handsomely with Gold Champion Stallion *Escape Ibn Navaronne-D (AS Sinans Pacha x Navarrone P), Gold Champion Mare *Eagleridge Passionata (*Sanadik El Shaklan x River Oak Dimity), and Gold Junior Champion Filly *Felicia RLC (Shael Dream Desert x Camelia K). All three of these horses had big wins in Europe and the Middle East, and it was a treat for the spectators to see them here, their beauty and quality translating seamlessly to the American showring.

Judge Debbie Cain sums up the appeal of *Escape. “From the moment *Escape Ibn Navaronne entered the ring, he had a captivating spirit and presence,” says Debbie. “He emanates everything I love about the Arabian horse. His exquisite type, dark large eyes, flat bone, fine coat and thin dark skin are a perfect representation of the essence of an Arabian stallion from a history book or fairy tale. Tail flagging, nostrils flaring, with noble carriage and evident pride in himself — I knew immediately I must give him a 20 for type. He will be a wonderful enhancement to the United States gene pool.”

After the show we talked with H.H. Sheikh Ammar and his longtime trainer Frank Spönle about the experience … and what’s next.

D e n i s e

H e a r s t

We have a saying in the American South, “If you can’t run with the big dogs, better stay on the porch.” Well, Sheikh Ammar, you have never been one to stay on the porch, have you? How did you make the decision to send some of your best horses to America to show at Scottsdale and Vegas? With horses that had already won prestigious titles in Europe and the Middle East, what was there to gain? Any downsides that you considered?

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22 6 ARABIAN HORSE WORLD 6 MAY 2010

Sheikh Ammar: This is what the excitement is all about: “running with the big dogs.” I like the tough competitions!

I like these shows where you don’t know until the very last moment who the winner will be, and then, if you are the lucky one, it’s electrifying!

The idea of bringing horses to Las Vegas came from Frank Spönle more than a year ago. He attended the show in 2009 and liked it a lot. He started to talk about how cool it would have been to have *Escape there. At the beginning I didn’t really think about sending my very

Ajman’s Gems

PHOTO: SANDEE ANDREWS

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his year at the Arabian Breeders World Cup in Las Vegas, His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi’s bold gamble of shipping horses halfway around the world from his stud in Ajman to compete paid off handsomely with Gold Champion Stallion *Escape Ibn Navaronne-D (AS Sinans Pacha x Navarrone P), Gold Champion Mare *Eagleridge Passionata (*Sanadik El Shaklan x River Oak Dimity), and Gold Junior Champion Filly *Felicia RLC (Shael Dream Desert x Camelia K). All three of these horses had big wins in Europe and the Middle East, and it was a treat for the spectators to see them here, their beauty and quality translating seamlessly to the American showring.

Judge Debbie Cain sums up the appeal of *Escape. “From the moment *Escape Ibn Navaronne entered the ring, he had a captivating spirit and presence,” says Debbie. “He emanates everything I love about the Arabian horse. His exquisite type, dark large eyes, flat bone, fine coat and thin dark skin are a perfect representation of the essence of an Arabian stallion from a history book or fairy tale. Tail flagging, nostrils flaring, with noble carriage and evident pride in himself — I knew immediately I must give him a 20 for type. He will be a wonderful enhancement to the United States gene pool.”

After the show we talked with H.H. Sheikh Ammar and his longtime trainer Frank Spönle about the experience … and what’s next.

D e n i s e

H e a r s t

We have a saying in the American South, “If you can’t run with the big dogs, better stay on the porch.” Well, Sheikh Ammar, you have never been one to stay on the porch, have you? How did you make the decision to send some of your best horses to America to show at Scottsdale and Vegas? With horses that had already won prestigious titles in Europe and the Middle East, what was there to gain? Any downsides that you considered?

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22 6 ARABIAN HORSE WORLD 6 MAY 2010

Sheikh Ammar: This is what the excitement is all about: “running with the big dogs.” I like the tough competitions!

I like these shows where you don’t know until the very last moment who the winner will be, and then, if you are the lucky one, it’s electrifying!

The idea of bringing horses to Las Vegas came from Frank Spönle more than a year ago. He attended the show in 2009 and liked it a lot. He started to talk about how cool it would have been to have *Escape there. At the beginning I didn’t really think about sending my very

Light up Vegas

Go to www.ArabianHorseWorld.com to see Escape in action ‌ click on our Websites and Video page.

*Escape Ibn Navarrone-D (AS Sinans Pacha x Navarrone-P) has added 2010 Las Vegas World Cup Gold Champion Senior Stallion to his already impressive list of show wins, which include World Champion Stallion, Nations Cup Champion Stallion, European Champion Stallion, Dubai International Champion Stallion, and Abu Dhabi International Champion Stallion.

best stallion all the way to America. But Frank insisted, and so we made the decision to send Escape, and now I’m happy we did. But to send a horse alone to America didn’t make sense, so I decided to make two loads of horses. The first one left in December, with Kharrea PGA and *Felicia RLC, and the second one left right after the Abu Dhabi show, at the end of February, with *Escape and *Eagleridge Passionata. I knew the risks of sending them to America, but I was sure of the qualities and potential of my horses and I knew they would be top contenders.

Frank: The decision to send our horses to Scottsdale and Las Vegas was based on the quality and conformation of the animals. We knew that we would send “different” horses from the typical American horse, but we were sure about their overall quality. *Felicia, who went Scottsdale Reserve Champion Junior Filly, is a special filly. She has the type we need in Europe and the conformation needed for America. I think she meets both worlds. And at the end, great horses usually always find the winners circle!

Tell us what winning Champion Stallion, Champion Mare, and Champion Junior Mare at Vegas meant to you.

Sheikh Ammar: I can’t hide my happiness and joy about winning three championships in Las Vegas. What was very special about these wins was the great and warm welcome my horses had there. If you win so much in Europe or in the Middle East, many people complain and think it’s not fair. In Las Vegas everybody was cheering for us, especially for Escape. Everybody congratulated us and showed us lots of appreciation.

Frank, how have the horses adjusted to California life? How did the cooperation with Greg Gallún come about?

Frank: It all started because of Stival, the young stallion owned

by Mike Wilson and Peri Tilghman. He stood at Gallún Farms last year before reaching my training center in Germany. He competed in Las Vegas with Greg winning Junior Champion Colt, and then he flew over to Europe to compete at the major European shows, where he achieved, among others, the title of Reserve Junior Champion Colt in Aachen. That’s how our cooperation started. When I thought about a place where I could send Sheikh Ammar’s horses, and especially *Escape, I had the feeling Gallún Farms would be the perfect place. It’s a very nice farm with some nice paddocks where I knew our horses could have similar lives to the ones they had with me in Germany or in Ajman. Further, Greg lives quite close to the shows we wanted to attend, Scottsdale and Las Vegas. I’m very happy with the decision we made. I guess it was proved right in Las Vegas. Together with the show horses, Greg and Nancy and their staff also take care of one of Sheikh Ammar’s best breeding stallions, Vervaldee, a chestnut Versace son that has sired some impressive foals in Ajman.

He’s there to recover from a leg injury and, assisted by the Alamo Pintado clinic, he’s receiving the best care.

than with others. *Escape always makes me very nervous. For me the Vegas show was a nighttime marathon. I normally get up at 6:00 a.m. to go to work, and during the show I was up until 4:00 a.m. to be able to watch my horses. On Saturday, for Escape’s class, I thought I would go to bed and set a wake-up call early enough to be able to see him show. I woke up very early and turned the computer on. At that point they called the Champion and Reserve Champion of the senior stallion class and I saw two chestnut horses walking out of the showring. I nearly had a heart attack. I thought, what happened to my *Escape? I started to call Elisa and Frank and nobody answered the phone. I was going nuts. Finally one of my friends from the UAE who was in Vegas answered the phone and told me that what I had seen was the last class of the day, and that Escape was in the earlier class, that he won with a lot of 20s and lots of cheering from

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Sheikh Ammar, you did not attend Scottsdale or Vegas, so I assume you watched online?

What were your thoughts on each class? Do you get nervous when your horses show?

Sheikh Ammar: I always get nervous when my horses show. With some of them more

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*Eagleridge Passionata (*Sanadik El Shaklan x River Oak Dimity), 2010 Las Vegas World Cup Gold Champion Senior Mare.

the spectators. Finally I could relax again, but unfortunately I had missed *Escape’s class. For the championship I stayed up all night, afraid I would miss something.

Let’s talk about *Escape. As one of Europe’s and the Middle East’s most decorated stallions, there was quite a bit of anticipation here about him. He’s not the type of stallion we see every day here in America, so I’m sure you wondered how he would be received. As it turns out, he was warmly embraced, and we understand you sold 86 breedings to him, at a special fee of $1,500. What were the qualities that you think mare owners were responding to?

What was the thinking behind the offering of such an attractive fee?

Sheikh Ammar: *Escape is really one of a kind. He’s such a special horse to all who are involved with him. I knew I

took a big risk in sending him to America. He’s so different from the kind of stallions American breeders are used to. But we needed new challenges for him. He won everything in Europe and the Middle East, and we thought this would be something new and exciting, for us and for him. We knew that showing *Escape in Vegas was a big challenge, but that’s what we like. We thought America might be looking for something different, just like Europe is. And we brought that “something” different.

And everybody loved him. *Escape was so warmly welcomed and so much appreciated that it went beyond our expectations. We thought about offering him at a special rate because we were happy to share him with the American breeders and to give *Escape the chance to breed some of America’s best.

It was amazing to listen to all the congratulations we received from breeders, trainers, horse owners. Some people walked up to Frank and Elisa and thanked them and me for bringing Escape there. This filled me with joy.

At Vegas, in *Escape’s age class, he was allowed to be himself. The rapport between *Escape and Frank was so enjoyable to watch, although there was never really what one would call a “stand-up.” For many of us, this was refreshing, and he proved that he didn’t have to stand in an extreme pose for his beauty and type to be recognized with 20s. What are your thoughts on *Escape the individual, and also on the emphasis on the stand-up in today’s showring? Frank, your take on this? What was your strategy with *Escape at Vegas?

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Sheikh Ammar: Since the day Frank first showed *Escape, this is the way it goes.

It’s the perfect couple, *Escape seems to be free to play and challenge Frank during the presentation. I would not want to see anything different. It’s fascinating to see them together in the showring. And this is not only my way of seeing it, this is also what all the people who know them think.

There is always lots of excitement before *Escape shows. Frank and *Escape are so used to each other and they have built such a deep relationship, nobody could change it. And I understand everybody in Vegas was happy to see something different, something exciting, where the charisma of the Arabian stallion is let free to show itself.

Frank: There are horses that like to stand up and they’re made for it. And then there are horses like *Escape, not many, unfortunately, that like to show everybody how impressive they are. *Escape thinks very highly about himself, and this he shows to everybody. I’ve shown *Escape many times, and I never had a strategy with him, I can’t have one. I’m happy to let him do what he wants and leave him free to express himself.

Tell us about *Escape the individual, his personality, likes and dislikes, and the key to keeping him happy. Obviously, feeling good about himself is a major component of his charm. He has so much charisma you can’t help but love him. How do you make sure he feels good in the showring?

Frank: There is no secret in trying to keep *Escape happy. Just like any other horse he likes to go out sometimes during the day. His grooms in Ajman take very good care of him. They bathe him and brush him every day. He lives a very happy life in Ajman all year round, including the months of the show season. Even when he shows off, strikes and expresses all his stallion charisma, *Escape is a

real gentleman. You respect him and he respects you. He’s a very smart horse.

Are there any show wins that *Escape has not yet achieved? Will we see him at the U.S. Nationals?

Sheikh Ammar: In Europe and the Middle East, Escape won all the major shows. He was Nations Cup Champion in Aachen, European Champion, World Champion plus a few smaller shows. In the Middle East he was named Middle East Champion Stallion in Jordan, Dubai champion stallion and Abu Dhabi champion stallion. So there is not much left for him to win. Now the plan with him is to fulfill all the breedings and freeze some semen. We don’t plan to show him at the U.S. Nationals. *Eagleridge Passionata and Felicia were also new to this country. What are the qualities that you feel won the titles for them? What are the plans for them?

Sheikh Ammar: Passionata was part of our show string for the Middle East shows. She went to Abu Dhabi and won Champion Mare title. There would have been only a show left for her in the Emirates, and it was Dubai, but there we had another mare aiming for the title, Kwestura. And we didn’t think it was necessary to have both mares in the same age class. That’s why we decided to send her over to America. And we also thought she would have the qualities to compete in Vegas. Shortly after her arrival at Gallún Farms, they successfully flushed an embryo by my stallion Vervaldee.

That is one of the main reasons why I have mares there. I love that stallion and I wanted to keep on breeding some of my mares to him. Now all three of my mares at Gallún’s gave us one embryo each by Vervaldee. And this means a lot to me.

Passionata will stay in the U.S. until

26 6 ARABIAN HORSE WORLD 6 MAY 2010

the end of the year. She will compete at the U.S. Nationals for the senior mare title.

As I mentioned, *Felicia also gave us one embryo with Vervaldee, and we can’t wait to see the result of this cross. She’s a special filly, and she conquered the hearts of many, both in Scottsdale and in Las Vegas. I had two other fillies in Ajman competing at the Middle East shows in the same age class, and it was Frank’s idea to bring her to America and show her in Scottsdale and Vegas. We both agreed that, even being different from the American style of horse, the judges would appreciate her type and femininity in Scottsdale.

For Frank: Your horses were allowed a bit more freedom to express who they are. Would you care to comment on the differences in showing style, and why you were determined to do things “your way.” I might add that many of us deeply appreciated your stance, and of course

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*Felicia RLC (Shael Dream Desert x Camelia K), 2010 Las Vegas World Cup Gold Champion Junior Mare.

it is a credit to Sheikh Ammar that you were not pressured to conform to what is expected in some show arenas.

Frank: I’ve been showing horses for more than 20 years now and this is my way since I started. I didn’t come to America to completely change my way of showing and adapt to a system that doesn’t belong to me. I like shows like Vegas or like the ones we have in Europe, because the horses are given the chance to freely express themselves. In the U.S. it’s the system, the judges, and the horse owners who demand that kind of extreme pose, which is not really required in Europe.

Of course not all of my horses show like *Escape. He is for sure a special one.

How long will the horses be here in the U.S.? Do you have any more surprises in store for us?

Sheikh Ammar: The plan with *Escape is to stay in California until the end of the year and maybe some months into next year’s breeding season. Then he will return to Europe. For the girls, well … Passionata is heading to the U.S. Nationals and *Felicia will stay in California and will be bred to some nice stallions, in the hope of having some great foals out of her next year. She’s only two, so we will not stress her too much, but we’d be happy to have a couple of foals from this great filly.

At the end of the day, how will you gauge the success of this “American Adventure”?

Sheikh Ammar: At the end of the day, this adventure turned into a great success. Not only because of the titles we won, but also because of the great appreciation we felt and the great welcome we received from the American breeders. The year 2010 in America has been a great success for us. We will see now what 2011 will bring. There might be more surprises in store for you.

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